WAKING UP THE SUN
by FaithfullyTeamEdward1
Summary: After he walks in on a heartbreaking scene, Emmett Swan's world plummets downward. Will anyone be able to resurface his old self? Better than sounds! Suck at summaries! AH/AU most cannon pairings and a couple OCs. REVIEWS GRACIOUSLY WELCOMED! ENJOY!
1. Chapter 1

_AN: Okay, here's another All human twific! hope you like it! the idea took me by surprise while i was taking a test in school the other day...Hope it's enjoyable! _

_Disclaimer: I don't own any cannon pairings or character! i just own Selene and Connor! as usual!_

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**Waking Up The Sun**

By, FaithfullyTeamEdward1

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_Life is unfair._

_Everything else is just a mild inconvenience_

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**Chapter One: Heartless Is A Strong, But Accurate Word**

**(Emmett's POV)**

I wrapped my arms around her waist as I walked up behind her. She was waiting in line to get into the concert and I had gone to use the bathroom. She jumped when she felt me coil my arms around her, bur calmed down when I kissed her neck. The others would be here soon so I need to take advantage of this time alone. My girlfriend giggled and turned around in my arms. She planted a gentle kiss on my cheek and then moved on to my lips. For a second, I forgot that we were in a public place and I threw myself into the kiss. I didn't think I could ever be happier than when I was with this girl. Rosalie Hale is the best girl I've ever been with. She's beautiful, loving, and one of the most amazing people I have ever met. We're seniors in High School this year, and I fully intended on proposing to her during this summer, before college.

We only pulled away when someone behind us cleared his or her throat very loudly. I turned to look the person down who'd done it but it was my friends standing there. All of their eyebrows raised and smirks playing on their lips. I gave all of them the finger. Most of them just shrugged and got into line behind us, but Jasper, Rosalie's twin brother, returned the finger. Jasper wrapped an arm around his girlfriend, Alice's, shoulder. She was so much shorter than him that it took a little more effort. He kissed her short, spiky black hair. Edward looked down and smiled at Alice, his sister's, grinning face and then put an arm around my little sister, Bella.

I couldn't help but smile at her glowing face. My little sister was only a junior, but she had had a terrible experience when it came to relationships. Her last boyfriend, Jacob Black…I gritted my teeth. I can't even think that creep's name, let alone think about what he did to my baby sister. Let me just say, I had begged Bella to let me kill him, but she didn't want me to sink to the jackass' level, so I had to settle with a report to the police. My father had been furious; he had trusted that scum because he's the son of one of his old friends.

Because of the distress…Black…gritting my teeth…caused my sister, I hadn't exactly welcomed Edward in as a bigger part of her life with grace at first. She always told me I was the world's most protective brother, and that she loved me for it. I took my job seriously. At first I wouldn't let Edward anywhere near her without someone else in the same room. He and I had grown up together, and he was like my brother, but letting him anywhere near Bella after he took a liking to her was hard.

But, after a couple months, Edward proved that he was worthy of my baby sister's heart. We had been at the theatre and Bella had stepped out to go to the bathroom. The next thing I knew, Bella was screaming bloody murder. Edward, Jasper and I were up in the next second and out the door. The entry was empty, except for my little sister curled up in a corner and the huge, dark form of Jacob Black looming over her. He was trying to pull her to her feet. Without any thought at all, I lunged forward, but stopped when I saw Edward already between the monster and Bella. He drew his fist back and landed a punch square in Jacob's nose. A loud _snap _echoed through the theatre and Jacob gnashed his teeth and growled in pain.

I took advantage of that distraction and put the idiot in a headlock. Alice had already been screeching to an operator from the police department. While Jasper and I restrained Jacob, Edward gathered a sobbing Bella in his arms and got her over to Rosalie and Alice. He stayed with her the whole time the police were questioning all of us, comforting her. Ever since that day, I've been ever so grateful for Edward's presence in Bella's life.

The line was moving faster now, and we were into the stadium within ten minutes of our friend's arrival. The wait for Linkin Park to come on wasn't so bad. I spent most of the time kissing my girl and ignoring the fact that my friends were whispering pointedly about us. Then when the band came on, Jasper punched me in the shoulder to resurface my attention.

They opened with Numb and went through Leave Out All The Rest, In The End, Bleed It Out, Points of Authority, Pushing Me Away, Lying From You, Paper cut, Runaway and finished with Valentine's Day. We all had a great time! We left the concert laughing and messing around. It was cold outside, and Rosalie had forgotten her jacket in the car, so I gave her mine to wear. She huddled in it and hugged me tightly.

The night had been one of the best nights ever. It was a tradition of ours. Every year before Christmas break, we all came to a concert. Little did I know that life was about to take on a darker light for me.

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I loved the Cullen's Christmas parties every year! You wouldn't think a guy would really be into the whole mistletoe thing, but when you're under it with Rose almost the whole night you kind of learn to enjoy it. Present time was quite enjoyable too. I got my girl a diamond necklace she had wanted. She got me a David Beckham replica jersey. Edward got Bella an original copy of _Pride and Prejudice_, while he received a large, important looking medical book. How anyone could be happy receiving a medical text beat me, but he was an aspiring doctor, so, whatever. Alice got a pretty little gold locket and she gave Jasper a history book about the many wars of history.

We, of course, weren't the only ones from our school there. And those weren't the only things we got, but they tended to be the most precious. Almost the whole junior and senior classes came to the Cullen place for the party. All of our friends were in attendance and anyone they wanted to bring. The place was outrageously crowded with kissing, dancing and laughing teenagers.

After our main group was done unwrapping our presents, Edward pulled Bella over to the dance with Alice pulling Jasper right behind them. Rosalie excused herself to use the bathroom, and I just looked around, smiling at all the happy faces. As I looked around, I noticed Edward's cousin, Selene Doyle, sitting alone, reading. Usually she hung out with us, but she seemed really engrossed in her book. I glanced at the title, and chuckled. She was just like Bella, reading the same books over and over again. She was reading _The Host _for what must have been the millionth time. I wondered over to her and pulled out a small package I had gotten for her. She had gotten her gift from the rest before the party.

"Hey Selene! Merry Christmas!" I said, with a big grin. She looked up, startled and smiled when she recognized me. She and I had always been pretty close. Selene was like another sister to me. She kept to her self and only hung out with us, it seemed, when Rosalie wasn't around. They had never really gotten along, what with Selene being the quiet, shy, captain of the soccer team and Rose being the top, most sought after girl at our school.

"Hey Em! Merry Christmas to you too!" She smiled even more and blushed when I handed her the small present. "Aw! You didn't have to get me anything!" But she pulled a box out from behind the chair and handed it to me before she ripped into her present.

I laughed as I took the box from her. "I thought your books weren't gathering enough dust. Now you can get some new ones so that your old ones have a chance to gather that dust." I said as I unwrapped my box. My eyes grew wide as I pulled out the item it contained. In my hand, I held _the_ best movie in the world! The Dark Knight! She knew I was a sucker for Batman, and here was that knowledge dangled in front of me.

"Thank you, Sel!" I gave her a tight hug that she returned.

"No problem Em. Thanks for the…" She trailed off as she looked at the amount for the first time. "_One hundred _dollars?! To Borders?! Oh My God! Emmett Swan, that is outrageous!" She said in shock. But she gave me a really tight hug in thanks.

"It was nothing, really." She kissed my cheek and got up to go put her card safely in her room (Did I forget to mention that her Aunt Esme and Uncle Carlisle were the ones raising her?). Rosalie had been gone for that whole time, which was about ten minutes. I wondered what was taking so long. I got up and walked to the second story to find my girlfriend, and see if she was okay.

The bathroom was at the other end of the hall. As I made my way that way, I heard something coming from one of the bedrooms. That was odd; I had seen all the Cullens down stairs before I came up. My damn curiosity getting the best of me, I followed the noise. It was coming from behind one of the closed guest room doors. Something told me I didn't want to open that door, but like I said, my curiosity got the best of me. Never did I realize that I would learn the meaning behind the saying; "curiosity killed the cat".

I opened the door, and just about toppled over in shock as I took in the sight in front of me. On the bed, fully clothed, was Rosalie wrapped up in the arms of Connor Denali. They were lip locked and didn't even notice I'd come in. I sucked in a harsh breath and was about to say something, when I heard something behind me. I turned and saw Alice.

She took one look at my face and hers distorted with worry. "What is it Emmett?" she instinctively whispered. I moved to the side for her to see what Rosalie was doing. They still hadn't seen or heard us. They were too absorbed in their own world to notice anything out of the ordinary. Alice Cullen changed _that_ though.

"Rosalie Lillian Hale!" my pixie friend screeched in a disgusted, and reproachful voice. "How could you?"

Rosalie and Connor jumped a mile apart and looked over. That's all I saw or heard before I was running down the stairs and out the front door, slamming it behind me. Bella, Edward, Jasper and Selene had all seen me charge out and rushed after me. I didn't care though. I felt so detached from myself. Never in my wildest nightmares would I have ever thought that Rosalie would cheat on me! We'd been together since we started high school four years ago- and with Connor Denali of all people! Connor was Tanya's, the school bitch's, brother! What the hell is she thinking?

I was down the driveway about a quarter mile when I stopped. I fell to my knees and just sat there with my head in my hands. I hadn't cried since I was ten when my mom had died of cancer. But now the warm tears streamed down my face. My heart seemed to tear in two and the pain was unbearable. I didn't hear their footsteps, but my sister fell to her knees in front of me with Edward and Jasper on either side of me.

"Em! Emmett, what's wrong?" she asked, rubbing my shoulders. I just shook my head. I couldn't answer yet. It hurt too much, and if I were to say it out loud, it would only be reinforcing the fact that it was true.

Bella wrapped me in a hug and kept rubbing my shoulders. "What ever it is, it'll be okay brother. Emmett…Em, whenever you're ready to tell us, we're here."

The rain had started falling; softly at first, but then started pounding down on us. My shoulders shook with my silent sobs. This was definitely the worse Christmas ever!

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_AN2: PLEASE R&R!! ALL REVIEWS MEAN A LOT TO ME!! THANK YOU!_


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: Okay! I'm alive! i know it has been a while since my last update, but ive been hella busy...here's the next chapter!!_

_Oh, and id like to give a shout out to Gina N.B.! Hope you have a nice trip! Hope you can get to a computer while ur away! will miss ya while ur gone! Here's a chapter for you to read before ya leave!_

_ENJOY! PLEASE R&R!!_

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_Don't make someone your everything, _

_Because when they leave, you have nothing._

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Chapter Two: Broken More Than a Shattered Mirror

**(Emmett's POV)**

After hell knows how long of us all sitting out in the rain, Bella was able to coax me into standing up. With Jasper and Edward's help, she was able to also get me walking. I didn't know where they were leading me; all I could comprehend were the flashing lights passing us by, the crunch of gravel and the beating of rain all over my body. I felt almost dead to the world. _My_ world had just been swept out from underneath me. The image of Rosalie wrapped in someone else's arms and kissing someone else's lips was etched on my brain. It's edges burned, like it was imprinted on my mind by a white-hot branding iron. It was torture having that scene on loop in my memory.

But, what I hated even more than the pain of the situation was the fact that I was falling apart right in front of my little sister and my best guy friends. When my mom had died, I never let anyone see me cry. I had to hold it together for Bella's sake then. Now, though I hated it, it didn't matter. Nothing any of them said would help me through this. Their words would be empty.

I don't know when our direction registered with my tortured mind, but as soon as it did, I froze in my tracks. They were taking me back to the house. My head swiveled around, but the red convertible was gone. The only cars left in front of the huge white house were my Jeep that Bella and I car pooled in, and Jasper's blue pick-up truck. Silence completely surrounded the clearing. I was glad Rosalie's car was gone. I would not have been able to talk to her tonight. Not in the state I was in at the moment. I probably would have yelled or not said anything at all. I have no idea how I would handle the situation tonight.

A shadow blocked out the light in one of the front windows, and then Alice shot down the front steps toward us. She ran right up to me, and slammed into my chest, giving me a huge hug. She was crying.

"Oh Emmett! I'm so so so sorry!" she was sobbing out. She was crying for me?

Everyone turned to me with confused looks on their faces. None of them knew what the pixie was talking about. Bella tightened her grip on my shoulders and her eyes were pleading for an answer. She hated not know what was wrong when something obviously was with someone in our group.

Another block of light was sent across the yard as the front door was opened again. This time the tall auburn haired figure of Selene dashed out to us with her aunt and uncle in close pursuit. All of them looked really worried. They all started leading me towards the house and into the bright light. Esme dashed around, gathering towels for all of us as I was led to the sofas. She draped one of her crimson towels over my shoulders and Bella put hers around me too. I didn't realize I was shivering until my sister's hand started rubbing my arm, trying to create friction.

I wasn't shivering from the cold though; it was from the image on loop in my mind. I shook my head again and again, trying to clear it, but it wouldn't leave me alone. The least that girl could have done was break up with me first, you know, _before _she started twisting herself around someone else. I wondered how long they had been going behind my back, but decided that I didn't really want to know.

What must have only been a couple of minutes felt like an eternity before Bella pulled my face around, looking straight in the eyes and asked, "Emmett. What the hell happened?"

Her voice was protective, scared and angry all wrapped in one. Her eyes burned with the need to know what was wrong with me. I opened my mouth a couple of times, but nothing came out, except a choking sound. I closed my eyes and shook my head in defeat. She wrapped me in a hug and turned to Alice.

"Alice?"

"Um…Emmett, is it okay for me to tell them?" She asked me in a saddened, but fierce version of her usually chirpy wind-chime voice. All I could do was nod, and turned away from my sister's confused streaked face. I put my head in my hands and braced myself to hear it all out.

"Well, I was going up stairs to use the bathroom, when I saw Em just standing in the door way of one of the guest rooms. I walked up behind him and asked what he was looking at. All he did was step aside and I saw it right away; Rosalie was intertwined with that scumbag, Connor Denali, right in front of us! I screamed her name at her and that's when Emmett split. I walked over to her and pulled her up by the arm and shoved Connor out the door.

"I started shaking with anger and yelled her. You know, asking how she could do something like that, and all she would say was that it was none of my damn business. That's when I told her to get out."

My heart broke all over again at hearing Alice go through it like that. Again I wondered how long they had been going out, and came up with the memory of me asking if Rosalie wanted me to drive her and she saying that she was driving herself. I hadn't seen Connor's car today, and come to think of it, those two had arrived at the same time. Not to mention how distracted Rosalie had been every time I kissed or even touched her tonight. My bets, they had been together for at least a week. More tears fell down my cheeks as I took in the gasps of shock and intakes of hisses from Bella and Selene. Just in that one noise I heard all the angry curses that Selene and my sister were obviously thinking. I looked up and was shocked; I'd never seen those two so effing mad before!

They were mad because _I _had had my heart broken. Well at least I knew I had…_CRASH_! Jasper had stormed out of the house. I heard a car door slam and the crunch of gravel as he sped away. I winced at all the noise. It all seemed especially loud to me. Where the hell was Jasper going? I didn't really care. I just wanted to go to bed, close my eyes and shut out this whole day. I stood up and started walking to the door, but Edward was standing in my way.

"Where are you going Emmett?" he had his arms crossed over his chest as he "guarded" the door. Immediate anger that I don't know where it came from sprang up and I was shoving him, hard, away from the door. He stood his ground and tried not to move too much.

"Move your ass the hell out of my damn way!" I snarled. I had never put so much venom behind my words, except for when I was all up in Jacob Scumbag Black's face. Edward froze and just stared at me. Nobody else had ever heard that venom come from me either. I didn't care though; I wanted out of this house, and Edward High and Mighty Cullen was standing in my freaking way! I shoved him again, and this time he shoved me back with so much force that I stumbled back to the couch. I almost sat down on Selene, but she moved out of the way.

"Emmett, sweetie, I called your father and he said that it would be all right if you and Bella stayed the night since it is so late," Esme said in her motherly voice. I stared at her for a minute, trying to think. But all I was capable of was nodding my head and breaking freaking down again in silent tears.

**(Selene's POV)**

I watched in shock as Emmett shoved and yelled at Edward. I had never seen him act like this. He had never acted out in violence before and it kind of scared me. Finally, Edward shoved Emmett back, and since he wasn't expecting it, Emmett was pushed off balance and was backing up towards me. He would have sat on me if I hadn't moved in the last second. Aunt Esme told him he was welcome to stay the night, and it took him a minute to nod his head. Then, Em put his head back in his hands and cried silently again.

I couldn't believe what had happened! Rosalie Princess Hale had cheated on Emmett! That was the worst betrayal I'd ever heard of. Those two had been together for years, and then Tanya Denali's pigheaded brother stepped in and took Rosalie away from Emmett. It was terrible. It tore at my heart to see the boy who had stood up for me for so many years sitting there and crying. It hurt more than I can even describe; I wouldn't have thought anyone capable of hurting the teddy bear next to me.

It must have been an hour before we all decided it was time for bed. I guided Emmett up the stares to the guest room that had not occupied his- I guess it would be Ex- now- girlfriend and the son of a bitch she had been kissing. Everyone said good night and I was about to leave the room, when I felt his hand on my arm. I turned around and his eyes were blank with sorrow. His mouth was curved down in a saddened frown. That sight tugged at my heart as well. I hated seeing him so sad.

"What is it Emmett? Do you need something?" he just looked at me for another minute, and I was about to ask again, when he dropped his hand and shook his head. I gave out a sigh and turned to the door again.

"I'm so sorry for what happened Em! Hope you sleep okay," I said as I walked out the door. No reply came, so I closed the door on the depressed figure of one of my best friends. It was going to take a lot to help him heal from something as unforeseen and traumatic as Rosalie cheating on him. And I would for sure be right there, helping him recover. It was the least I could do to repay him for all the jerks he'd saved be from in the past few years.


	3. Chapter 3

_AN: I know. I know. I haven't updated this story in forever. It was a spontaneous story, so it comes really slowly. I hope this chapter is good enough to satisfy all of my great reviewers! Umm, Emmett is quite a bit out of Character. I'm a girl, so it's hard to write in the grieving prospective of a boy. I hope it's still ok!_

_*Disclaimer: All Cannon Characters are works of Stephenie Meyer's Imagination. Selene and Cornel are works of my imagination. No Copyright Infringement was intended._

_PLEASEREAD,ENJOY, AND REVIEW!!!!!! THANKS!!!_

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A friend is a person who knows what you are saying, even if you're not talking.

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**Chapter Three: The Love of A Good Friend**

**(Emmett's POV)**

The next morning, it took me awhile to figure out where I was. Gray sunlight was glowing from a huge window that covered the whole back wall. I had a pounding headache, and I am so not a morning person. I felt like total crap! And where the hell was I? I kept looking around the room, but nothing was coming to me. And every time I thought I might be remembering, I was hit with a burst of pain. Something bad had happened and I couldn't figure it out.

A soft tapping came from the door in front of me. Who the hell was that?

"What?" I snapped harshly.

I didn't even care that it came out meanly. Nothing made sense anyway. The door slowly creaked open, just enough for the figure of a girl to slip through, her back to me. The door softly snapped shut behind her and she slowly spun around, auburn hair whirling around her face, to face me.

Selene. With the appearance of her face, everything from the previous night crashed down on me. I was in one of the guest rooms at the Cullens' house. Rosalie had cheated on me with Connor Denali. My heart wrenched at that thought. How could she have done that? I thought she was happy with me. Then she goes behind my back and starts seeing Tanya's brother! I couldn't even meet Selene's eyes. I'd snapped at her, and she was probably only coming in to be nice.

"Are you okay Em?" Her voice was a little unsure on how to ask, like she knew it was a stupid question, but still a needed one.

Yup. Just checking on me. I slowly looked over at her, and she flashed me a weary smile. Walking swiftly, she planted herself on the foot of my bed. How many times had she been there when Rosalie and I had fought, or when I had had other girlfriends who hadn't worked out? I didn't think I could be civil to many people just yet, but I'd make an extreme effort to still be normal around Selene.

Still waiting for an answer, Sel cocked her head to the side, sympathy dancing in her eyes like water. I shrugged my answer and she just nodded in understanding. We sat in silence for a while as we listened to the sounds of padding feet down the hallway. Those had to be Alice's. They were way too quiet so be Edward's or Carlisle's, and Esme, based on how bright it was outside already, was downstairs by now.

No matter how many distraction I tried to busy myself with- like the color of the walls, how the sun seem to just make Selene's auburn hair glow to life, how soft the bed was- my thoughts always returned back to the image of Rosalie in Connor's arms. The most stomach-wrenching, heart-breaking scene in my whole life, and I couldn't escape it! My sight began to blur with tears, and, unable to stop them, the warm water overflowed and ran down my face. I felt so weak, crying there in front of one of my best friends. This had to be how it felt for girls when they're dumped by the guy they thought loved them. Weak as it made me feel, I couldn't rein it all in.

Selene scooted forward and put an arm around my shoulders. Making shushing sounds, as if soothing a baby, and she murmured, "Em, it's going to be okay. You have all of us. We're all here for you." After a second of hesitation, she added, "I'm here for you." Selene said it so lowly though, that it could have just been my imagination.

She sat there until my tear ducts ran dry, letting my rant quietly here and there, and continuing to murmur soothingly.

Finally when I could stand to leave the room, Selene gave me a light kiss on the cheek, and slipped out the door silently, but not before saying, "You'll see. Everything will work out."

Then she was gone.

Shakily, I got out of bed and shivered when my feet hit the cold hard wood. I was really unsteady walking across the room to the bathroom. I was still wearing my casual suit from the night before, I realized as I looked in the mirror. As much as I felt like hell, I looked it too. My brown hair was sticking up everywhere in tuffs. My eyes were red a swollen from all the tears and I swear I was much paler than usual also. My face was tear stained and there was a thin layer of salt forming on my cheeks in rows.

Washing my face and running my fingers through my mess of hair, I tried to make myself look somewhat organized. Once I was able to get my eyes to not look so red, I walked back into the bedroom. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door to leave. My path was blocked though, because I had opened the door to my sister standing there, her hand half raised to knock. She put her hand down slowly and looked up at me wearily.

"Are you-" Knowing where she was going with the question I cut her off by waving my hand in a nonchalant motion and shrugged. Bella just looked sadder after that, and kept going.

"I'm so sorry about this Emmett. If you need to talk, any one of us are willing to listen," my sister insisted as I walked on, and she followed briskly behind.

I was getting annoyed quickly with the sympathy in her voice. Without even thinking I lashed my words out at her.

"Quit it Bella! I'm fine! Leave it alone!"

I kept walking, not turning around to see that Bella probably had a very hurt expression on her face. I wouldn't know though, because I threw all of those last seconds out of my head immediately.

Going carefully down the stairs, I was hit with the overly loud noise of dishing clinking together. Why was everything so loud all of a sudden? It made my head pound even harder. Gritting my teeth, and ignoring the pain, I made my way into the kitchen. Alice was sitting on a high stool at the breakfast bar, watching Esme scoot around the kitchen, cooking. Edward was on a stool next to his sister, reading his new book. Selene and Carlisle were already at a game of chess at the dinning room table through an arch to the right.

Nobody noticed me come in, but when Esme turned around from what she was doing, she flashed me a huge, motherly smile.

"Emmett, darling, we didn't expect you up so early." Her voice was chirpy, hiding the sympathy I saw in her eyes. Glancing over at the clock, I saw that it was ten o'clock.

"S'not that early," I mumbled. Then, a little louder, I said, "Thanks for letting us stay the night Esme."

She just smiled and went back to her cooking. Sighing, I went and took a seat to watch Carlisle clobber Selene at chess. The game went on forever, but in the end, Carlisle had stomped all over Sel in points. She just laughed and challenged him again. With a grin, Carlisle nodded, and they reset the pieces.

It wasn't until halfway through their second game that I heard the tapping of shoes as Bella finally came into the kitchen. She shot a quick glance at me, and turned quickly from my gaze to go sit next to Edward.

"You know, Em, you should try and beat Carlisle at chess," Selene said, trying at normality. No matter how down I felt, I couldn't help laughing at that. He turned to face me with a smile, and said, "What?"

I shook my head.

"Why would I try to take him when _you_ walk all over me?" I asked, letting a small smile spread across my lips. There was no denying her a smile. Her good moods were just too charismatic to resist smiling, if only a little, too.

Selene just shrugged and went back to taking one of Carlisle's pawns.

A few minutes later, Esme gathered everyone into the dining room to eat, making Carlisle and Selene postpone the end of their game. Selene faux punched her uncle's shoulder as they cleared the table and he locked her in a hold with one arm locked around her shoulders. They chuckled and then sat back down.

Breakfast, just like any meal made by Esme Cullen, was delicious. Everyone tried way too hard to continue the morning conversations like no tension was in the air, but it was there regardless.

Though I knew the food was the probably the best in Forks, and I had a few bites, I had lost my appetite when I had glanced around, spotting a picture on the wall of all of my friends, taken a few months ago. Alice was holding onto Jasper's neck as he held her on his back. Edward had both arms wrapped around Bella's wait, planting a kiss on her cheek, and her eyes sparkling with laughter. Selene sat cross-legged with a book in her lap, focus etched on her face. And, there, in the middle, was Rosalie and I. I had her dipped down, as if dancing, and we were kissing.

How I still had any tears, I didn't know, but I could feel the corners of my eyes pricking again. My last breath must have been ragged, because Selene looked over at me, and then at my object of focus. Quickly, she got up, and took the picture down. She looked like she wanted to cry too, but I didn't know why. I nodded my thanks, and then went back to picking at my food.

**(Selene's POV)**

Emmett let out a low, but ragged breath, as if he were about to cry again. I glanced over, and saw that his eyes were focused on a spot right above my head. I turned to see what he was looking at and immediately understood. It was a picture of al of us. I had been reading, and Esme had just gotten a new camera. Everyone was over that day, just like any other day, and Aunt Esme had everyone gather in around me. Being so engrossed in my book, I hadn't noticed until the flash went off. Em wasn't thinking about any of that though. All he saw, probably, was he and Rosalie in the middle.

Knowing it hurt him, but he just couldn't look away, I got up and took the picture off the wall turning it face down on the cabinet below. Everybody noticed, I knew, but they just ignored what I had done.

I looked back at Emmett as I retook my seat, and he nodded in thanks. Well, that was one thing I could do to help him. If it were just something as small as removing a picture while he was in the room, I'd do it.

After breakfast, Alice and I help Esme in the kitchen, while Carlisle and Edward saw Emmett and Bella out the door to go home. I really hoped he be okay. That was such a terrible thing for Rosalie to do! But it wasn't my battle so I would leave it alone.

Laughing, Alice flicked some water in my face, to get my attention. Esme had left to use the bathroom, so it was just my cousin and I. As soon as she had my attention, Alice's face grew grim and worried.

"What?" I whispered. It was obvious this was meant to stay between Alice and myself.

My cousin leaned quickly in as we continued to work with the dishes. Looking around to see if anyone was close enough o hear, she started in.

"Did you see Bella's face when she came into the kitchen this morning?" Her voice was almost as quiet as a quick whoosh of wind. I was able to follow her though.

I shook my head. I'd been preoccupied with getting beat by Carlisle at chess and trying to keep Emmett focused on other things other than Rosalie and the last night.

"No. Why?" I kept my voice just as low.

A wrinkle creased Alice's brow as she went on.

"Well, she looked like she was really upset and had possibly been crying."

I felt shock shoot across my face. Why would Bella have been crying? Upset, maybe, because Emmett was really upset, but that wouldn't make her cry.

My confusion was an answer to Alice. I hadn't noticed, so she continued on.

"I asked her about it, and she said that Emmett yelled at her this morning-" her voice was a little shaky, and I cut her off before she could finish.

"What?" I almost screeched, but it was still too quiet to travel through the house. "Why would he do that?"

Alice shrugged. "I don't know. Bella didn't want to talk about it. Do you think this situation is going to worse than we all thought?"

It was my turn to shrug this time.

After that motion, my shoulders slumped. Man, I hoped the old aggressive Emmett wasn't coming back. Em had always been a nice guy to me, but Edward told me that before I had moved to Forks, Emmett had gone through a year of extreme aggression. That had been the year his and Bella's mom had died. Sixth grade had been a bad year. He'd kept his grief together in front of Bella, but it all became pent up energy, and that turned into anger. I hoped, for Emmett's and everyone else's sake, that that Emmett wouldn't resurface.


End file.
